Airport floodlight projector



Jan. 27, 1931. o. WERNER AIRPORT FLOODLIGHT PROJECTOR Filed June- 22, 1927 4'Sh eets-Sheet l INVENTQR Oscar/ A2729? ATTORNEY 0. WERNER AIRPORT FLOODLIGHT PROJECTOR Jan. 27, 1931.

Filed June 22. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N V E N TO R Oscar h/f/w/r TTbRNEY Jan, 2'7, 1931. o. WERNER 4 AIRPORT FLOODLIGHT PROJECTOR Filed June 22, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR (9550f Mrmr Jan. 27, 1931,

o. WERNER AIRPORT FLOODLIGHT PROJECTOR Filed June 22, 192"! 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 "l NVENTOR Oscar/4411a".

'ATTORNEY Patent ed Jan. 193i OSCAR .& MANUFACTURINQ ERN R; 0F. some rain, s lt-151m Application filed J V invention relates to de'lvices and more particularly-to louvered devices adapted to control the; beams of the floodlights for air landing-field illumination.

7 Thelighting of air landing fields'requires largefioodlighting units of ruggedconstmiction Thefprojector and. housingfmust be moisture proof for protecting the reflector I and other mechanismfromfmoistureand dust; Such a floodlight, particidarlyjsuitable for landing-field illumination; is;-de'- scribed in my copending-application, Serial No, 200 ,565,'filed JuneQ-Q, 1927.; i t H,

1 In floodlighti'ng, fields it: has been found important to-so;eontrol theflight tromuth'e projector that little; or no light vvillbeprojected above the horizontal plane to blind-- an approaching aviator. For controlling -t he beam, the best results have been'secured-by placing a louver system iiithelupper portion .of the housing in front of-thelamp, LQuvers permit horizontalrays'of-light to pass out 7 "but they absorb the upwardlyidirectedrays ;countered from thesagging-of thej thin-strips p articularly because" a of; the expansion ,and -,contraction incident to heating and icooling. i l/Iy device overcomes-this difficulty by {prey ividing m'eans for tightly e stretching; the str ips1so that they-Will not sag,

' F Another obj ect'ot my inventionv sl. to provide i a unitary- V louver assembly i'that; maIy ithat strike the blacksurfaces of the louvers. I; The louvcrs are thingmetal strips sovmacle as .to aiiord as little interference as possible to the ,passa'geof the useful rays from the' pro;

je'cton; Considerable difiiculty llilSgbQQIlfiIlof metal of which the louvers are composed It has been found desirable to construct the louver system in single unit to; permit removing the unit-for clean;

the projector and reflector and for adjusting the'jlarnpbl Therefore it is among; the object'sofmy invention to provide r floodlights such-that litt-ie'or no 'llgh v itL-be directed above-the horizontalfl t;

Re e ring ,ings thebase 1,- hich issecured to avfixe d .-su1; port (not shown),;furnishes a means [for mounting it-standard 2the17eon. Aisupport- .ing socket member 'fisefitted on the-upper a A .75 a v :ben-S on the standard 2 forms With the I socket niembeng a mounting for the bracket 5 and,

the projector housing. 6;

ouver assembly ior a andg set; aside hen clean: ing the projector and adjusting the lamp Anotherobjectof my-invention is to pro- P w iiw i i Tmil COKPORKTIQN'OF PENNSYLVANIA: 1

videgmeans-gfor' mounting louvers such: that.

each" louverg ivill, remain tightly stretched ;v vher1; they. tare -subj e'cted to various tempera- ;tures' and;areg expanded and contracted,

aA sti l gturthergobject of my invention: is

to provide. a louver assembly that :is of effi- :1 n .andressed; ns

-fijeferring .to :the accompanying drawingslike numerals indicate like parts Ifigure 1 gis V a vertical 1 cross sect-ional view .of a;fioodlight and my louverdevice s e o t e lflo dlig te dt e lo nde ce l Eig'. '3 is a schematic LVlQW showing thefil:

Fig. 2" sea front elevational itiol fl il light y With respect thereto, F g- 4 1s, a View in perspective of my louver m; e a

my evice e I fore particularly to the' drawend; of the standard" 2 and asplitjri'ng I mem- 60 .liangementt fthe louvers and the disnosi e5 Fig.. 5is ayiew injp elrspectlve of the lower I .portion of the clamping structure utilized in a' Thesocket;member;3 isasplit'ring and'may V I be locked on thesta ndard 2 by means of a' 3 insane? of another bolt '11, The lower lt vfprojects -through":the rear all ot the i horizontal. When proper adjustment of the directionf e V The projector housing 6 is of substantially bracket, and a spring 9 is disposed on bolt 13 between the ring member 8 and the rear wall of the bracket. The wing nut 14: on bolt 13 engages the rear wall of the bracket, and the bracket may be moved with relation tothe housingbracket by means ofthe wing nut 14.

By reason of this structure, the projector housing may be tilted several degrees from the projector housing is secured, the bolts? and 11 are tightened, and the housing bracket is thenrigi'dly' fastened on the standard. When the bolts 7 andll are loosened, the housing is free to turn andv may be rotated throughany degrees to 'direct the beanr any! part'of 360 cylindricalcshape, open at one end. A ring 15 on the inside of the housingsupports a parabolic reflector 16 that is fastenedto it by bolts 17 A ring 18 surrounds the'open end of the housing and is provided with'lugs 21 to support the pivots of clamping bolts 20 to'en'gage with the edge of the ring spacers60 and thespacer bolts 61. V I prefer to utilize a relatively large numsimilarlugs 22 on the doorwhich'is disposed over the opening in the housing. The door is provided withan'a'nnular recess 23, in which a rubber gasketQt is placedfto coact 18 to provide amois- .ture-proof joint;

and is secured thereto by a rim '27 and bolts 28. V A'gasket 31 of felt, rubber or other-re- 'silient material is placed within the recess of the rim, thus providing a weather-proof closure between the'rim and the lens. The lamp standard 45, mounting socket 52 and lamp 53 are adjustably mounted on'the "focusing device 32. The focusing devicefprovides for vertical, lateral,f0cal and rotational adjustment of the lamp. 1 7 A space is provided in the housing so that the louver-supporting assembly 57 may be mounted in its upper portion in front of the lamp. The louver-supporting assembly comprises two bow-members 58 of semi annular form that are spaced apart by means of the louver-supportingbracket 59 and the" two ber of thin-louvers. The bottom louver is located so that theangle (p included betweena plane passed through the outer edge of the bottom louver and thelight source and a horizontal plane will be not more than 1 (Fig. '3), The remaining louvers 80 are spaced sothat the upwardly directed beams are intercepted by the louvers: The spacers '63 at the ends of the louvers are of various fthicknesses so that the space between the "louvers is gradually increased from the'bot-- tom to the top of the stack. 'Thelouvers and -spacers are securedjby bolts 64 to fornrthe louver-clamp assembly 65. The elongated spacers 66 at the center of therstack of louvers and spacers engage the notched guide plates *A glass cover 25 is mounted'on thed0or-26 67 and in order'to keep the louvers taut, they are mounted in spring bows 58. The notches 68in the guideplate-act as saddles for the spacers 66 and allow the louver-clamp assem- ,dinally. ,Thebottomlouveris made of copper and. is approximately. four (times as thick "as the other louvers sothat its inherent stiffnessprevents saggin and distortion between its supports. The liottom louver is supportedand therest of the louvers are spaced by means of the washer semblies 71. I V V The three upper louvers 7 2 are held at their and rod spacer asendsby clamps 7 3 fastened on flexible plates 74 which, in turn are secured to the louver bows. The plates act as cantilever springs and are put :under fiexure when initially assembled so that the louvers are always under tension, and expansion andzcontraction of these louversisalso cared for-.- 1

Thereason for this construction of the louver assembly becomes apparent froman analysis of'the heating and the resultant air currents produced by the lampina pro jector of this type. Considerable power is used and, therefore, the heating effect isquite pronounced. The heatfrom thelamp maintains the louvers at a relatively high temperature, particularly the lower set which are positioned directly in front of the lamp.

Because ofthe heat. of the lamp, the air in proximity to the lamp rises, thus settingup an upward air current near the lamp and a downward air current along the comparatively cool outer surfaces of the-projector. The bottom louver 7 0, being exposed to the circulating 'air currents, will be comparatively-cool. Since the remaining louvers of the'lower' stackfare not exposed t the circulating' air currents, because the air between them is more or v less 'imprisoned,these V louvers will become comparatively 'hot. The upper louvers 72 will remain comparatively 'cool as compared to the louvers 71 on ac-V count of the large-gap between them and consequent'exposure tocoolingair currents as well as their greater distance from the lamp but anyexpansion or contraction of the louvers 72 willl be taken ''care of by the springs 74L;

The louver frame- 59 is mounted on a 75rwhich is movably secured to the upper portion of-the projector housing by means "of bracket 76. A stop 78 isprovided at the ;end of the rod 75;. The/louver assembly hangs downward from therod and, when the vT me ia;

projectordoor is open, may he slid forward until it is outsidethe projector housing. It may then be rotated on the rod in a clockwise directionuntil it strikes the projection 7 9 gralwith said clamping means for resiliently engaging said supportingmember;

. ing, alouver assembly comprising a sprung" My construction provides a louver assembly in which the relative position and spacing of the louvers is not effected by expansion and contraction.

My louver 'systemis especially designed so that very little light is projected at an-an'gle, of more than 1 degrees above the horizontal. 1

Although I have described a specific mod= ification of my device, I do not wish toi be limited thereto,since such modifications as mayv occur to those skilled in the art may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, as defined I in the appended claims. v s

I claim as my-invention:

1. In combination with a projector housing, a louver assembly comprising a plurality of resilient bow members, spacer means for spacing apart the bows and a plurality of louvers' held in tension by reason of the resiliency of said bow members, whereby said louvers are tightly stretched undervarying] conditions of expansion and contraction.

2. In combination with a projector housing, a louver assembly comprising a sprung supporting member, clamping means, a plurality of louvers clamped at their ends by a plurality of clamping means and means inte- 3.'In combination with a projector housing, a'louver assembly compr sing a sprung supporting member, clamplngmeans, a plurality of louvers clamped at their ends by thesaid clamping means, means integral with said clamping means for resiliently engaging said supporting member, and means for resiliently connecting a second set of louvers to said supporting member. 7 I

4. In combination with a projector hous supporting member,'clamping means, a pluralityof louvers clamped at their ends by the clamping means, engaging means 1ntegral with said clamping means for resiliently engaging said supporting member, said engaging means comp-rising a plurality of saddles on said supporting member and projections on said clamp ng member for engaging sald saddles.

' and contraction.

5 P Inicombination Ivvith a projector hous+ ing, af louverg assembly comprising -'a= lsprung supporting member, clamping means-,: a pluralityof louvers clamped a t their ends by the clamping means, means integral f' with said 1 clam-pingmeans-forresiliently engaging said supporting member-,a secondarytse't of: ;lou:=

porting means and means on said plates for I eiigagingsaid secondary louversm- .1.

6. Inconibination wit-li a1iprojejct'or:flious;- ing, a louver assembly comprising a sprung supporting memben clamping means, a plurality of louvers clamped at their ends by the* clamping means, means integral with said clamping means for resiliently engaging said.

supporting member, .said engaging means comprisingfa plurality of saddles on said supportingmember,projections on said clamping member for engagingsaid saddles, and a secplates for engaging said secondary louvers. '7. In combination with a projector housing, a louver support securedto the top of the housing, a louver rod upon which is mounted anas'sembly adapted'toslidably engage said louver support whereby said assembly may be moved out of said housing.

8. In combination with a projector housa. ing, a louver assembly mounted on a rod slid- I ably engaging. said housing and stopping means on saidrod for stopping said louver assemblyQ j v 9. 'In'combination with aprojector hous-r.

ably: engaging said housing, stoppingmeans on said rodand engaging and holding means on said housingfor holding said louver as-j .sembly when It isremoved from said housing.

member and aplurality of louvers attached near their ends to said sprung member wheretion.

11. A louver structure comprising a supporting frame, a louver, and spring.supportling means engaging the louver and secured to ing, a louver assembly mounted on a rod slidt 5 0nd. set of louvers, resll ent plates mounted on 531d supporting meansand means on said 110. In combination with a projector housing, a louver assembly comprising a sprung" by said louvers aretightly stretched under" varying conditions of expansion andcontrac- V Y the supporting frame for holding the louver taut undervarying conditions of expansion 12. A louver structure comprising a supporting frame, a louver and a leaf-spring supporting means engaging the louver and secured to the supporting frame for, holding the louver taut under varying conditions of expansion and contraction. V I I 13(A louver system comprising a semiannular sprung supporting member, saddles I at the extremities of the semi-annular memher, a plurality oflouvers, a plurality of spacing members for gripping the ends. of thelouvers one'fof which'pacingmembers is elongated for engagingthe saddles of the semiannular member whereby the louvers areheld taut by reason of the resiliencyof the sprung supporting member, and other secondary-louvers attached to vthe supporting frame by means of leaf springs whereby the secondary louvers are held taut under varying .oonditions of expansion and contraction.-

:In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this seventh day ofrJune,

OSCAR WERNER, 

